Prisha Khimavat

This post is part of a series. Read more about it here.

Something that’s been on my mind a lot for the past few months is productivity. When this pandemic began and everyone was trying to come to terms with quarantine and social distancing, one of the things I heard most was, “At least we can do all the things we said we didn’t have time for. At least we can all be productive.” At the time, maybe it did help us feel like things would be okay if we just kept ourselves busy and tried to achieve all those, but now almost four months later, that statement seems more like a burden to me.

It’s honestly exhausting to expect yourself to be productive all the time, especially at a time like this. I’ve read quite a few articles recently that describe this pandemic as a collective trauma that we’re all experiencing right now. Life as we knew it might not be the same for a while, and in the midst of all that, to expect yourself to keep up with school/work, spend time with family, keep in touch with friends, stay healthy and active and also achieve all those other goals (the ones you want to achieve but haven’t had the time for), is just not fair to yourself. I mean think about it, most of us right now are already completing the same amount of work we normally would, while working from home, which means we don’t have access to all the tools we otherwise might. I’m saying all this simply to say there is a lot going on for all of us right now.

In addition to our daily expectations, many of us are able to use this time to pursue new passions or passions that had dimmed but now are reignited. There are people who have finally created that Instagram page to share the recipes they love or fashion tips that they’ve learned. There are people who love singing, writing, or creating, and are able to use this time to do so. People are baking banana bread, or learning how to play a new instrument. There are those who are picking up new hobbies and learning new skills and those who are finally finishing that book they started a few years ago. I have seen so much passion, creativity, and excitement from people as they venture into different projects they always hoped to start but never had.

And yet, that’s not what I want to talk about today.

I am so happy for all the people who have been able to try new things and be productive outside of what’s expected of them. I love that they were able to start the projects they’ve wanted to. But this post, is for all those people who feel like they’re not doing enough.

I know its part of us, as people, to look at all the things other people are doing and think that we’re not good enough because we may not be “doing enough.” But I assure you, every single person has those days when they don’t feel like getting out of bed. Everybody feels like they’re not doing enough, that they’re not running fast enough in this race that none of us signed up for. This is a time in the world when everybody is struggling and that’s okay. I know I have definitely had those days when I logged on to Instagram and saw my friends and acquaintances working out, or starting projects and achieving goals, and just felt so overwhelmed because I started feeling I wasn’t doing anything, and that everyone else seemed to be so much more productive than me. I’ve noticed these thoughts and feelings usually come to the surface on days that I’m exhausted and don’t have the energy to do anything but the bare minimum.

I’m here to tell you, that is okay. It is completely okay to have days when you feel overwhelmed and need a break from everything, and it’s okay to not “do enough.” If you are unable to complete an online course, write a book or create art, that’s okay. Give yourself a break, and remind yourself that it’s not a competition. Obviously all of us want to be productive and achieve those goals and dreams (as we should), but it’s okay if every day is not your best, and it’s okay if you can’t get out of bed on some days. We tend to see what other people are doing, and how they’re achieving their goals, but that same timeline doesn’t work for everyone. I’mnotsyaing don’t be productive or learn new things. We all should definitely do what we can, but it’s okay if every day isn’t your best. It’s okay if you’re struggling, and it’s okay if you’re not “productive” all seven days of the week.

So, if you start to question if you’re doing enough, and feel overwhelmed by all the things you ‘should’ be doing, remind yourself of the wise words of someone else said before me:

This is a pandemic, not a productivity contest. It’s okay to take a break.

~ Prisha Khimavat ~